Bogardus, U.S. Pat. No. 3,761,420 issued Sept. 25, 1973, and Landwerlen et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,860,536 issued Jan. 14, 1975 disclosed liquid, enzyme-based, stain removal compositions intended primarily as laundry additives for spotting and soaking. In both patents, solutions of water and lower polyols were used to preserve enzymatic activity. Bogardus optionally used glassy phosphate as a chelating agent, while Landwerlen et al included anionic and/or nonionic surfactants and optionally solvents such as naphtha and other laundry additives to improve the removal of oil and grease stains in addition to the protein and carbohydrate stains removed by proteolytic and amylolytic enzyme, respectively.
Heavy duty liquids containing some or all of the ingredients recited in the preceding section have been the subject of prior art references. Barrat et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,841 issued Aug. 25, 1981, related to general purpose, heavy duty laundry liquids containing a mixture of anionic and nonionic synthetic detergents and fatty acid soap, and phase regulant selected from among lower alphatic alcohols having 2-6 carbon atoms and 1-3 hydroxyl groups, esters of diethylene glycol, lower alphatic monoalcohols having 1-4 carbon atoms, detergent hydrotropes such as sodium toluene sulfonate, and water. All examples contained 5-10% ethanol. The objective of the invention was to secure superior textile cleaning through use of highly concentrated compositions, stablized by phase regulant. Odor was not mentioned.
Tolfo et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,287,082 issued Sept. 1, 1981, disclosed similar compositions which additionally contained enzyme, enzyme-accessible calcium, and short chain carboxylic acid such as formic acid. Detergency was improved due to the presence of stabilized enzyme. Examples contained 10-12% ethanol. Odor was not mentioned.
Wertz et al, European Patent Publication No. 0095205 dated Nov. 30, 1983, disclosed liquid compositions containing anionic surfactant, nitrogen containing surfactant such as quaternary ammonium or amine or amine oxide surfactant, and fatty acid soap. The phase regulant mentioned as an optional component comprised, in the examples, mixtures of ethanol (1% minimum) and 1, 2-propane diol. The only mention of odor was in connection with order of addition of the components, and here the preferred product was referred to as having a "less objectionable" base odor.
Hughes, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 615,852 filed May 31, 1984, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,507,219 issued Mar. 26, 1985, was directed to compositions comprising combinations of sulfonate, alcohol ethoxylate sulfate, and ethoxylated nonionic surfactants; fatty acid; polycarboxylate builder; and a solvent system comprised of 2-10% ethanol, 2-15% lower polyol preferably propylene glycol, and water. Preferred compositions also included a quaternary ammonium or amine or amine oxide surfactant, and an alkanolamine in the amount of 0-0.04 mols per 100 gm. of composition. Exemplified compositions included 4.0-8.5% ethanol. Detergency, phase stability and bleach stability were the stated objectives of the invention. It was noted that while low levels of monoethanolamine were preferred to enhance product stability, detergency performance and odor, the amount should be minimized for best chlorine bleach compatability.